The present invention relates to illuminating helmets, and more specifically, to illuminating helmets via a light source such as graphene, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), light emitting diodes (LEDs), and/or a light source that uses graphene.
There are many types of helmets or headgear utilized to protect the head. There are bike helmets, motorcycle helmets, football helmets, lacrosse helmets, baseball helmets, military helmets, firefighter, etc. For example, football helmets are to protect players from catastrophic brain injuries while playing football.
Exterior Protection
Most football helmets use a polycarbonate shell, which is a type of hard, durable plastic. This helps deflect the force of blows to the head to help prevent skull fractures and other serious head injuries. The plastic is light enough to keep the player from adding too much weight to his head/neck while still providing the necessary protection.
Interior Protection: Soft on the Inside
Inside the hard shell, football helmets offer a variety of softer protection around the head. The front of the helmet protects the forehead with a firm foam designed to deflect direct forward hits. The foam around the jaw area is a bit softer for comfort, while still providing firm support. The rest of the helmet provides several layers of foam, including a spongy layer that rests against the head to make the helmet more comfortable. Some helmets also offer inflatable air pockets to help the player custom fit the helmet to his head.
Face Masks
The face mask is the part of the helmet that directly covers the face. It is a major protection for the players and is usually made of metal covered either with rubber or plastic. Details of the face mask may vary according to each player and their needs. For some football positions such as linemen, the face mask may have several bars on protecting the face, and the bars run in both horizontally and vertically.
Visors
A more recent addition to the football helmet is the visor or eye shield, which is affixed to the face mask to protect players from glare or eye injuries, such as pokes.
Sensors
Helmet shock data loggers and shock detectors monitor impacts a player receives, such as the force and direction of the impact. If the force recorded by the sensors is over 100 Gs, it may signal a possible concussion.